Biography

I was born in Rochester, New York, on a snowy day in February. I am the third of five children. When I was five years old we loaded up a truck and piled in our station wagon to move to Ottawa, Canada where my father's family live.

I grew up surrounded by creative people. Both of my parents love music and art. They taught us to express ourselves in any creative manner, whether by drawing, writing poetry, or singing choral music in harmony as a family. From early on I remember playing inventive games with my sisters and brother, where we would act out skits, each playing a new character from our imagination. Any bit of cardboard or paper, any container or jug was saved for craft projects. When it rained we knitted or crocheted. When it snowed-and it snowed a lot-we played outside for hours designing caves and tunnels in the giant pile of snow at the end of our street. Creativity was applied to everything.

In High School, I had an art teacher who was a true Renaissance woman-she was talented in many subjects including math and science. She inspired me to think in creative ways and apply that skill to everything I did. She taught me to look at things around me with a new view. I spent all of High School peering through a cardboard frame at trees, buildings, people, and then captured what I saw in my sketchbook. Those sketchbooks were like journals that kept track of my daily experiences. I still have them.

I followed my sister to Boston to attend the Massachusetts College of Art, where I studied illustration and graphic design. Throughout college I took poetry classes with a wonderful professor who loved the English language. To her each letter, each word, and especially the sounds of letter combinations, were like music from an instrument.


After graduation I worked in the graphic design field, and continue to do so today. But after work and on weekends I wrote poetry. When I had children of my own, I began to write children's books as well, inspired by our bedtime stories. Now I am delighted to share my stories with the children of the world.

I live in the Boston area with my husband and two children, a guinea pig named Ranebow, a rabbit named Moon and two African water frogs, who love to sing.

Moon helping to fold laundry.

Ranebow in his food bag.

 

 

Moon's babies: Reiki, Puggy and Nova.

 

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